, 1887-11-26
S FOR MERCY.
The Jury Find Young HOage Guilty
and Recommend CIemency.
Asten, Charged With Horse Steal,
ing, Makes d Mild Request.
An Attempt Made to Secure the
Release of H. T. Hall.


Release of H. T. Hall.
The only jury trial case disposed of in
the district court yesterday was that of
the territory vs.. Chas. Hoage, charged
with grand larceny. Hoage is the mis-
guided youth who burglarized the Valley
ranch, north of Fort Russell, several
months ago. He was captured and the
stolen property recovered Immediately
after the theft. The testimony of all the
witnesses examined was substantially the
same, and was to the effect that the pris-
oner had stolen the goods and chattcls as
charged in the indictment. There was
really no defense. Counsel for the de-
tense briefly alluded to the youth of the
prisoner and sought to impress upon the
minds of the jurors his claim for consider
alton on that score. That his effort was
successful is shown by the verdict. The
document transmitted to Judge Ma
ginnis by Louis G. jerks, fore
man of the Jury, stated that
the body on whose behalf
it was submitted found Charles Hoage
guilty of grand larceny, estimated the
value of the property stolen at $50 and
recommended the prisoner to the mercy
of the court on account of his age. Judg-
ment was postponed. Young Hoage,
bashful in. the presence of well dressed
men who did not intersperse every sem
tence uttered with foul oaths, gazed
about the room timidly, not appearing to
evince much interest in the moves or re-
marks of lawyers, iurymen or court Off
Gals.
The prisoner heretofore alluded to as
Andrew Asten, alleged horse thief, by his
attorney set forth that his proper cogno-
men was Alexander Asten. HIS honor
instructed the clerk to alter the records in
this particular. Asten hen pleaded not
guilty to the charge of grand larceny.
The trial will occur in a few days.
III. t. Hall was until last week fore
man of the Keeline ranch,
and numbered among his friends
nearly every cowboy who had occasion
to ride on the range near his headquar-
ters. Hall is a member of the quartette
arrested last week upon the charge of aid
ing Mccoy in his flight.
Since the incaeration of these men the
case has assumed a much graver aspect
than was thought possible by anyone not
cognizant with the facts in possession of
the officials. So soon as they were safely
lodged in the Laramie county jail a multi
tude of accussers have arisen and branded
them as murderers, horse thieves and cs-
capped convicts. The subject once preached
in certain circles it was immediately as
serted that Hall was a Kansas murderer,
Douneily a Texas man-kil!er, McChesnut
a Lone Star state horse and cattle thief
aud Franklin IN escaped convict. With
what authority these accusations are made
is,in at least three of the cases, is yet to be
learned, but the officers, who do not hest
tate to refer to these men as hardened
criminals must certainly be warranted
in taking such a position toward the pris-
Oners.
A friend of Halls made strenuous
effort TO secure his release Thursday
and yesterday, but was unsuccessful.
On the charge Of assisting Mccoy the
prisoners bond was fixed at $500. This
surety was at oncc offered, but not &C.
ceptcd. Habeas corpus proceedings were
instituted by j. q. Baird yesterday. 1t
then developed that a complaint charging
Hall with the commission of a murder in
Kansas had been sworn to before Judge
Lee. The case came up for consideration
in district court yesterday and was vigor'
ously contested. Prosecuting Attorney
Stoll requested that the accused be placed
under bonds in the sun Of $4,000. After
the point had been argued the
amount was fixed at 81, 800, but was not
forthcoming.
The hearing OF this case has been set
for Dec. 3, but it is almost certain that
Kansas officials will arrive and take
charge of the prisoner prior to that date.